Social Media and Relationships

Social media and relationships are a slippery slope unless both partners are consciously using social channels to strengthen their bond.


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General Information

Social networking sites are well known for their ability to connect people all over the world. Yet, in the real world, this tends to take a toll on romantic relationships.

With the rise of dating apps and even big social media networks like Facebook incorporating the dating feature on its platform, we can see how the digital match-making scene is more and more commonly used, especially by single people.

Although social media use can both positively and negatively affect relationships, it all comes down to the aspect of people being able to consciously use social media to their relationship’s advantage.


How social media affects relationships

Social media affects relationships in many different ways.

From negative comparisons that can affect mental health to decreased time spent with one’s partner, social media can easily influence the quality of romantic relationships.

Here are the most common ways in which social media affects relationships:

  • Jealousy - one may be set off by seeing their partner react to other people posting something triggering for them. Reactions like “retroactive jealousy” where one person feels upset about their partner’s romantic history that lingers on social media, can deeply affect one’s mental health and influence the quality of the relationship.
  • Unhealthy comparisons - when people feel the need to compare their relationship with what they see on other people’s digital pages. They jump to conclusions and believe that others have the perfect relationship, comparing their own reality with other people's relationships in the online world.
  • Less physical time spent with their partner - the more time partners spend consuming social media, the less time they have to build a strong, close physical relationship.

Distraction, irritation, and decreased quality time are all negative aspects of an immersed life in the social networking pool.

  • Increased narcissistic traits - the addictive nature of reward that comes with the social media interaction game, can impact relationships in negative ways. Bending people’s personality traits can lead to trauma for their better half.


By consciously minimizing time spent on social media and choosing to deliberately engage or not with certain content, we can minimize the negative impact that social media has on our lives.

Being mindful about how social media can impact our romantic relationships, not only helps us decrease the possibility of hurting our own minds, but also creates stronger, more aware connections with our loved ones.



Resources:

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/social-media-and-relationships

https://www.choosingtherapy.com/social-media-relationships/